Post by mollybrown on Dec 15, 2014 15:08:31 GMT -5
I also second (twentieth?) talking to the school district about this directly as well as a lawyer. I know this would never fly in our school district. The district creates and maintains the boundary maps, so updates to the property lines outside of that wouldn't mean anything. And as previously mentioned, you would need a utility bill or other proof of residence within those lines. I would hate to go through all the trouble only to find out that my kids still couldn't attend school in the better district. I would want to be sure all was well before even approaching the neighbor.
Wait. Someone clarify my own stupidity here. I am confused. She buys this land how does it change her address to get her in the right district? Doesn't it just extend onto her own property line on her original address? She cant share the same address has the house it was once part of. The county isnt going to give a flower bed its own address.
Some one dumb this down for me.
I still contend it is weird as all get out to ask someone you have never met though.
It sounds like residing on land that straddles the boundary actually zones the home in both districts, according to the OP. And homeowners can choose to send their kids to either school. OP said there are other homes in their neighborhood that straddle the boundary and are in this situation, though she didn't say if it was from annexing land or if the original plots were drawn up to straddle the boundary.
Thanks. I get it. I guess where I live there are rules on how much needs to be annexed/you can not just chop up a backyard and qualify. Zoning is a bit more all or nothing/the same address cant be annexed twice. There is more to it but that is the simple version and basically why i was confused.
Wait. Someone clarify my own stupidity here. I am confused. She buys this land how does it change her address to get her in the right district? Doesn't it just extend onto her own property line on her original address? She cant share the same address has the house it was once part of. The county isnt going to give a flower bed its own address.
Some one dumb this down for me.
I still contend it is weird as all get out to ask someone you have never met though.
I don't think anyone on this board knows enough about the law surrounding SD boundaries wherever the OP lives to comment on whether buying land to her property boundary into actually let her send her kids to the good SD (her lawyer thinks it would), what it would do to her property taxes, etc.
But by all means, let's speculate and judge!
To be clear- what I'm judging is buying a house in a "bad school district that we wouldn't send our kids too" in the first place. Then when it comes time to have school age kids think that it's NBD, just buy some of the neighbor's land and BAM problem solved. Do your research before buying a house folks!
I'm also side eyeing people all like, "Yeah I would sell to you and make a quick $20,000 that could really help my family" and all. When you own land you don't typically do so to make a quick buck. Wait 5, 10 and 20+ years and that land will be worth a lot more than $20,000. This is MMM people, I expect WAY more from all of you and your investments!!
To be clear- what I'm judging is buying a house in a "bad school district that we wouldn't send our kids too" in the first place. Then when it comes time to have school age kids think that it's NBD, just buy some of the neighbor's land and BAM problem solved. Do your research before buying a house folks!
Maybe she fell in love with the house and doesn't want to move? Lots of us buy our first homes in less desirable school districts. I don't think it's necessarily a lack of research, here.
You seem to really think that the OP is feeling entitled. She doesn't seem to have expectations. She's brilliant to be researching all of her options at this point in time.
To be clear- what I'm judging is buying a house in a "bad school district that we wouldn't send our kids too" in the first place. Then when it comes time to have school age kids think that it's NBD, just buy some of the neighbor's land and BAM problem solved. Do your research before buying a house folks!
I'm also side eyeing people all like, "Yeah I would sell to you and make a quick $20,000 that could really help my family" and all. When you own land you don't typically do so to make a quick buck. Wait 5, 10 and 20+ years and that land will be worth a lot more than $20,000. This is MMM people, I expect WAY more from all of you and your investments!!
So you judge everyone that doesn't agree with you? Got it.
You are also reading WAY too much into the OP's thought process. They may have actually only been able to afford the bad school district house and thought they had a few years to figure something out, researched this, found out it is quite common and BAM - decided to ask something of someone and gracefully accept any answer while still considering Plans B, C and D.
If, btw, it is this easy to solve the problem, and they researched this before buying the house, where is your problem?
Not everyone is obsessed with land, btw and it's not always an investment. This isn't ye olde Britain. They can just as easily find out it is an environmental disaster and have to clean up the land before it is useable or fit to be sold.
Nope, I'm judging that they want their neighbor to fix their problem because they didn't do the research or think ahead when buying their house.
To be clear- what I'm judging is buying a house in a "bad school district that we wouldn't send our kids too" in the first place. Then when it comes time to have school age kids think that it's NBD, just buy some of the neighbor's land and BAM problem solved. Do your research before buying a house folks!
I'm also side eyeing people all like, "Yeah I would sell to you and make a quick $20,000 that could really help my family" and all. When you own land you don't typically do so to make a quick buck. Wait 5, 10 and 20+ years and that land will be worth a lot more than $20,000. This is MMM people, I expect WAY more from all of you and your investments!!
If you invest that 20,000, it could also be worth more. Or are you assuming that land is the best investment absolutely everywhere? Because once that shit is underwater, or becomes protected land you can't develop, it will probably be useless.
Yeah if you invest it it totally will be worth more. But a PP said it would help their family so much right now. (not going back to see who said it or get the quote) So I take that that it won't be invested but instead used. That's what I gained from the many reponses.
Nope, I'm judging that they want their neighbor to fix their problem because they didn't do the research or think ahead when buying their house. This is crazy cakes. Your view is so odd. I'll do the standard "man I think you're awesome, but what the heck to your responses in this post".
I don't think anyone on this board knows enough about the law surrounding SD boundaries wherever the OP lives to comment on whether buying land to her property boundary into actually let her send her kids to the good SD (her lawyer thinks it would), what it would do to her property taxes, etc.
But by all means, let's speculate and judge!
To be clear- what I'm judging is buying a house in a "bad school district that we wouldn't send our kids too" in the first place. Then when it comes time to have school age kids think that it's NBD, just buy some of the neighbor's land and BAM problem solved. Do your research before buying a house folks!
I did this in 2007. We bought a starter home in one of the worst districts in the state, thinking that by the time we had a school-aged child (we did not have a TTC timeline at that time; DD1 was born in 2010) we would definitely be able to get out of the house and buy somewhere in a good district. Then the market totally crashed and we would probably still be in that house and facing a big decision about kindergarten next year if my H had not received a wonderful offer that included a bonus sufficient to sell our home without bringing money to the table from his current company.
We are smart people and make good decisions, and we did not know the market would crash. I don't know when OP bought her house but there are plenty of reasons the best housing choice for someone might be in a bad school district. And she doesn't sound AT ALL like she feels entitled to the neighbor's land in her posts; she sounds like she wants to ask because it can't hurt.
I really don't get why people are being so harsh on the OP here. It's not like she is proposing banging down this couple's door and holding them at gunpoint until they cede some of their land to her.
To be clear- what I'm judging is buying a house in a "bad school district that we wouldn't send our kids too" in the first place. Then when it comes time to have school age kids think that it's NBD, just buy some of the neighbor's land and BAM problem solved. Do your research before buying a house folks!
I really don't get why people are being so harsh on the OP here. It's not like she is proposing banging down these peoples' door and holding them at gunpoint until they cede some of their land to her.
BINGO.
She's not expecting someone else to fix her problem. She didn't NOT do research when buying her home.
Many on here bought in districts that weren't their top picks. That's called reality.
Flames because she wants to remain in her own home vs. packing up and moving? What the heck? I don't get it. She's looking at all options. She's genius.
To each their own I guess. People seem to think I'm taking this personal or something, which I'm not in the least. OP - if you think it's normal for your area and want to then go for it. Ask to buy their land and if they say no I hope you're able to find some other way to send your child(ren) to a good school.
I stand by that I think it's weirder than all get out but I guess if I disagree with the board I should keep it to myself.
My only contribution is to verify with the school district that you would have the option of sending your child there if your property line was extended. I know where I grew up districts used the physical address, not property lines, to determine who goes where.
So you judge everyone that doesn't agree with you? Got it.
You are also reading WAY too much into the OP's thought process. They may have actually only been able to afford the bad school district house and thought they had a few years to figure something out, researched this, found out it is quite common and BAM - decided to ask something of someone and gracefully accept any answer while still considering Plans B, C and D.
If, btw, it is this easy to solve the problem, and they researched this before buying the house, where is your problem?
Not everyone is obsessed with land, btw and it's not always an investment. This isn't ye olde Britain. They can just as easily find out it is an environmental disaster and have to clean up the land before it is useable or fit to be sold.
Nope, I'm judging that they want their neighbor to fix their problem because they didn't do the research or think ahead when buying their house.
If you invest that 20,000, it could also be worth more. Or are you assuming that land is the best investment absolutely everywhere? Because once that shit is underwater, or becomes protected land you can't develop, it will probably be useless.
Yeah if you invest it it totally will be worth more. But a PP said it would help their family so much right now. (not going back to see who said it or get the quote) So I take that that it won't be invested but instead used. That's what I gained from the many reponses.
That is a pretty huge leap to say that we didn't do our research or think ahead when buying our house, and that we want our neighbor to fix our problem. We love our house, we love the neighborhood, we were well aware when purchasing this house that it was in the city and the schools are bad. We weighed that against the lower cost of the house, lower taxes, other benefits of living in the city and decided that we wanted that house. Our initial plan was to either send her to private school (which there are many of) or in 5 years buy a new house (as our daughter is only 3 months old). We have since been told about this option and have decided to research and perhaps pursue it so that we can continue to live in this house. Even though we don't have to worry about schools for a few years, we wanted to know if this is feasible now as it will impact the improvements we make to the house (as we may only stay 4-5 years).
To each their own I guess. People seem to think I'm taking this personal or something, which I'm not in the least. OP - if you think it's normal for your area and want to then go for it. Ask to buy their land and if they say no I hope you're able to find some other way to send your child(ren) to a good school.
I stand by that I think it's weirder than all get out but I guess if I disagree with the board I should keep it to myself.
You are making personal digs at the OP, which is why people think you are taking it personally and/or overreacting. It's unnecessary. Lots of people said they thought it was weird or wouldn't do it, without insisting that the person is being entitled and bought a house without thinking, etc. etc.
Where did I make a personal dig? Did I call her a bad mom? What did I say that was so personal??? Not buying it.
1) verify that this strategy isn't some sort of urban legend. Where I live, school districts break down along old farm grants dating back to William Penn so there have been instances where a property straddles districts- in some cases people were able to "chose" one district for schools, representation and taxes. In some others, the larger portion of the property or the part on which the house sat determines which school and municipality is primary. I know one family who bought a house thinking it was in another district, but found out later that it had been grandfather by a previous owner into another in order to reduce taxes owed.
2) actually draft the letter and help you do the transaction if you get a "yes"
Out of district options don't exist where I live without paying tuition. The public school tuition where I live (cost/student) is higher than some private schools.
Where did I make a personal dig? Did I call her a bad mom? What did I say that was so personal??? Not buying it.
I already gave examples. calling someone a bad mom is not the only way to make a personal dig.
You think "Your first post comes across as very entitled." , "Do your research before buying a house folks!" and "Nope, I'm judging that they want their neighbor to fix their problem because they didn't do the research or think ahead when buying their house." is personal??? You've been around here long enough to know better. Oookay!